Latest update to iOS 17 put a big gray poster background with white font on each of my contacts. Unless they used a custom photo, it is nearly impossible to read.
For clarification, I’m an older adult and my eyes aren’t what they used to be so most of my settings are set to a black background with a gray font.
Has anyone figured out how to change that gray poster box without having to do it on each contact one at a time?
I found you can select a background color instead of that light gray. Black is not available but I did choose a darker gray, which helps me see the white writing:
Go to Contacts on your iPhone. Select the person whose contact page you want to change. (I guess we need to do each one individually, maybe someone can show us how to change it for every contact at once? )
At your contact's page, select 'Contact Photo & Poster.' Select 'Customize' and a choice pops up. Select 'Poster.'
Now, at the bottom left, select that circle O. And up pops Background Colors. I chose the dark gray all the way at the bottom right. And then below that is a slide bar where you can make the gray lighter or even darker. I slid that right to maximum dark. Then I hit the X to close the background color popup. Finally, at the very top right I selected 'Done.'
Hope this helps!
I found you can select a background color instead of that light gray. Black is not available but I did choose a darker gray, which helps me see the white writing:
Go to Contacts on your iPhone. Select the person whose contact page you want to change. (I guess we need to do each one individually, maybe someone can show us how to change it for every contact at once? )
At your contact's page, select 'Contact Photo & Poster.' Select 'Customize' and a choice pops up. Select 'Poster.'
Now, at the bottom left, select that circle O. And up pops Background Colors. I chose the dark gray all the way at the bottom right. And then below that is a slide bar where you can make the gray lighter or even darker. I slid that right to maximum dark. Then I hit the X to close the background color popup. Finally, at the very top right I selected 'Done.'
Hope this helps!
I called Apple support and you can change the background color by hitting edit one the contact then the edit picture and then chose color or for some of them I didn’t have that option so had to hit monogram ( put the first letter in the first circle) then pick the color you want. Each one has to be done individually but for my 95 year old mother I had to do it. Fortunately her iPad and phone are connected so at least I only had to do it on the phone.
txserval wrote:
I have some color blindness and the newest update has rendered my contact list extremely difficult to read. How can I reverse it?
You cannot reverse it. However, you may want to explore some of the settings in Settings>Accessiblity>Vision., for example, Settings>Accessibility>Display & Text Sizes>Differentiate Without Color.
They finally fixed this issue in 17.4!
Thank you.
Every single person/contact lost lovely green I had set ... Uniformly--
and now.. all PRISON GREY.
I am told I now have the Privilege of customizing each Card as I use it.
all. 250 of them. Individually.
FIRE the Engineers.
FeliciaCommunity wrote:
If you want to take away all color from our contact list at least give us the option to get it back the former way it was. It shouldn’t have been forced upon the people that don’t want it. Different strokes for different folks!! Not fair!!
I don't want to do anything with your contacts.
Apple doesn't read here in this user-to-user technical support forum for feedback or suggestions. You can, however, let them know your thoughts here:
Meanwhile, an option is to use Siri to make calls. Then you don't have to look at the screen at all.
dogandponyshow wrote:
You are indeed allowed to like anything you want to! I don't see where anyone here has said anything to the contrary. What others are saying is that they aren't allowed to change something they didn't ask for and have trouble using.
What you or I (or anyone else) dislikes is not something anyone participating here can do anything about. Tell Apple:
I spoke to the Apple support line. Got bumped up to the second level who commiserated with me and agreed there was no way to return to them previous contact display. She indicated she would push it up the line. It definitely is a heavy lift?
I am sure Apple had some good reasons in their mind to make this change. However, I wonder if they understood how aggravated a segment of the Apple user community would be. One thing they might consider doing is putting out a beta test version of items they feel would make a better customer experience to get real feedback from the user community.
Do we know if Apple personnel monitor this website? Would be a good chance for them to see in real time if their house is on fire
GeorgenBalt wrote:
Is there a way to contact Apple to change it back- or an option for all the contacts at once going back to the way it was?
You can give Apple feedback about what you'd like to see in the future here:
But no, there is no way to go back to a previous version of iOS.
Just put your finger on bottom of it and drag it up until u don’t see it u will have to do that each time.. it’s so unnecessary to hv changed. When it was fine before.”mind over madness” I guess.
Those options do not show up on my Contact Photo & Poster>Customize options. No color options, no slider. Just options to choose a photo or imoji, Camera or monogram. Really frustrating. Apple needs to address this ASAP. I hope they are reading these comments.
BobUlius wrote:
Not true. I showed above I have done it to all my contacts but VERY time consumming.
Most people are asking how to change Contacts so that it doesn't appear that way at all. Previous attempts to explain that it can be done on a per-contact basis have been met with derision.
And if I can do it, Apple can change it easily.
Of course Apple can change it. However, we have no indication that they are planning on doing so at this time. And, Apple doesn't read here for feedback or suggestions. I suggest that if you want them to know your thoughts, you send them feedback:
IBDiab73 wrote:
It would be nice to have an option to set a poster for all contacts or a list (group)
Tell Apple. If enough people do, they may make a change:
I have the same problem… But I have around 600+ contacts and I’m not about to go through all of them and sort out whom doesn’t have a poster setup and manually edit each one to fix this. How can I do a quick edit all/edit default color of names or backgrounds?
iOS 17 Default Contact Screen Difficult to Read
